Springing into Singapore and Japan.

[GarrettM]

Monday May 9 - Back to Kyoto.
Today we we're off to Fushimi Inari Shrine, and also the bamboo grove at Arashiyama.

A pensive start to the day.


Another short JR trip to Kyoto Station, and a switch to the JR Nara line, two stops, cross a road and bingo!

 

[GarrettM]

There are (SPOILERS) a lot of red gates here. More orange really.

 

[GarrettM]

 

[GarrettM]

Some local wildlife...

 

[GarrettM]

More traditional hand washing needed...


Before more snacking. Corn for her, and crab stick for me.

 

[GarrettM]

Righto where were we...

Oh yes! Back to the JR Nara line and Kyoto Station, and a short hop on the JR Sanin Line to Saga-Arashiyama.
A nice walk in the warm sunshine, and... bamboo!

 

[GarrettM]

To be honest it's all kind of samey isn't it.
Nice. But samey.

Good lighting in spots though.

 

[GarrettM]

Enough bamboo!
From Kyoto, back to Osaka, and now it's time for some more sushi.
This time we're going to ride the train at Daikisuisan.

 

[GarrettM]

It's a busy joint, with plenty of energy.



Plenty on the menu.


But what do we choose?


Perhaps not crab liver.

 

[GarrettM]

Can't go past the tuna of course.


The wife got salmon, which I don't care for.


Plenty of shrimp!


And eggplant.

 

[GarrettM]

The eel was good, as it has been everywhere we've eaten it.


We didn't try these one...


Nevertheless we put in a pretty decent effort overall.

 

[GarrettM]

And fully satisfied it was time for another stroll through the crowds.


And a detour into a couple of shops, to spot some odd looking candied seafood type offerings. Not for us.

 

[GarrettM]

Tuesday May 9 - Au revoir Osaka, and hello Hiroshima!

Shin-Osaka has a lot going on. Good place to get your Shinkansen trinkets.


Or some last minute Hello Kitty gear!

 

[GarrettM]

I took a pic of this, but didn't even bother trying to figure it out.


On the Sakura today. Stunning.

 

[GarrettM]

We had planned to stay in an AirBNB, but switched a few days before arriving, since we'd learnt life was easier in a hotel. MrsGM found a decent deal at the Rhiga Royal, which boats views of Atomic Peace Park.
We did not get a view of Atomic Peace Park though. Which is a bugger.

Our consolation view wasn't terrible though.


A helpful map to explain what's what.


The room itself was nice and big. Two actual beds is nice.


And a nice big bath.


Obviously very close to the Peace Park, right on the subway, and near Hondori.
She's done well here the wife. I'm trying to keep that in mind almost a month later, knowing our AirBNB refund is likely to never show up.

 

[GarrettM]

After a little relaxation we strolled down to Hondori to check out the shopping possibilities. And to buy an umbrella.
I'm not an umbrella user at all, but MrsGM wanted one. So I spent about 600Y to get one. It lasted one night, and was taken out of the hotel umbrella stand by someone not us.
Money well spent.

Anyway... after our window shopping it was time for dinner, and we found a table in a basement joint called Watami.


We couldn't go past the menu of popularity.


Although decided to give the horse sashimi a miss.

 

[GarrettM]

But we enjoyed a nice spread.
Goyza of course.


Can't remember exactly what there were. Cheese balls perhaps.


A couple of different types of chicken.

The "tasty"...

And the "addictive"...

 

[GarrettM]

Spicy noodles.


Grilled fish.


And because we're trying to be adventurous, some grilled sakhalin shishamo smelt, stuffed with something or other.


Glad I had my beer just in case, but they were ok. Chewier than I would have expected.

 

[GarrettM]

Another stroll back to the hotel, via a few stores, just to look.
Hiroshima is baseball town, and everyone loves the Carp.
It seems anything you want, you can get it in Carp packaging.

 

[GarrettM]

I'll post my Carp merch along with everything else I bought on the trip later. Still waiting for internet at home, so this report has a ways to go yet.
And there's going to be a lot more pics!

In the next installment... Atomic Dome and the Peace park, Hiroshima Castle, and enjoying the football at Hiroshima Big Arch.